Popcorn Cookies

 

On some days, the urge to bake is overwhelming. Like an itch I just have to scratch. My mind will start to wander off into the baking world, daydreaming of new creations or recipes I have yet to try. Instead of focusing on whatever is at hand, I find myself off in cupcake and cookie la-la-land. Wow, if I don't sound like I just fell out of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory...

A recent discovery - popcorn cookies! Oh, my, god. Salty, sweet, almost crunchy with delicious chocolate morsels. It's like the best kettle corn you have ever had, yet in cookie form. Watch out for the cookie dough when making these little gems, it's highly addictive!

Side note - take a guess as to why there are so few pictures of these cookies? We ate them, all.

Popcorn Cookies
Adapted from: Framed Cooks 

• 1/2 cup butter, room temp
• 1 cup sugar, white
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda 
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 2 cups popcorn, crushed down a little (take out any hard bits or kernels, and use movie butter style)
• 1 cup dark chocolate morsels or chips (I used bittersweet) 

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cream the butter for a minute or two, then add the sugar and combined until fluffy and pale (around 3-4 minutes). Add the egg next, then the vanilla, and combine.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Don't forget to scrape the bowl!

Gently stir in the popcorn and chocolate chips. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is well incorporated.

Using a tablespoon, drop dollops of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet, spacing the cookies about 2" apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden. Watch the cookies as they may darken up on the bottom more than expected.

Remove from the oven and cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool completely. Try not to eat them all at once!

This is Not a Farewell

This post originally started a few months ago as a fond farewell...but damn if I just can't stop blogging about food. Plus the fact that several friends of mine recently began hounding me for my recipes. I'm a foodie; I have an addiction to sharing recipes with others. Blogging is my intervention.

And so a bunch of stuff has happened in my life since my past post (way, way back in December). I moved, I acquired a new family of sorts, I traded in my chickens for dogs, blah, blah, blah. I know you aren't here to hear about all of that, it's the food that keeps you coming back.

Intro the new and improved Panda le Chef site! Bigger and badder than ever, I've revamped a few things around the kitchen. I fell off my vegetarian bandwagon nearly a year ago and have to admit, I'm loving meat. So you will likely see a whole lot more of it around these parts.

I'm also doing tons more photography work, spending time trying to hone in on my skills and whatnot, so expect more pretty pictures. And from new perspectives (like the east coast).

Feedback is always welcome, as well as suggestions for what you all would like to see me bake, cook, or review during my travels.

Viva la foodie revolution!